Where Went the World
by TheLostArtofCommonSense
Summary: Shocking, it was way Quinn Fabray could express it. One moment it was all thrill the next everything fell apart. Faberry now turned The Mack/Quinn/Rachel Macquinchel , with side Brittana, Klaine. Possibly more to come as the story goes on.
1. And It All Came Down

**Disclaimer: Glee is owned by RIB and Fox as far as I can tell. But in short I own nothing that follows. I just borrow the characters and concepts, to assuage my own personal little realm of insanity. *nods, nods***

**Summary: **

** The story is set starting from episode "The Sue Sylvester Shuffle", it's a zombie!fic, it's a Faberry (Quinn/Rachel) pairing. Brittana(Brittany/Santana) and Klaine(Kurt/Blaine) will most likely be present along the road dependent on my capacity to do them justice. As it's a zombie!fic violence is rather obviously present. Foul language well be kept to a minimum, but should be expected just incase. If any of this does not work for your interests, or it basically does not float your boat in short, then please forget you started this and find something more to your tastes. It'll be far more comfortable for all of us then. lol **

** This came out of a discussion between look4me and I, while I was helping a little with editing '_I'm Not Going To Give Up On You'_. The choice of episode to begin the story in and much of the encouragement I needed to get it done was all thanks to their helping me brainstorm through the initial idea. I'd of been lost if not for our random crazy conversations on this idea, thank you!**

** And thank you for giving my first posted story a chance!**

**Sue POV**

Sue Sylvester ruled her cheerios with all the loving mercy and justice of a tyrant, and proudly so no less. Today had really not gone her way at all. First she lost her best cheerleaders, at the last moment, to the manipulations of that lumbering, incompetent, constipated giant. The fact the three could barely stand him added injury to insult. It would have been a strong secondly, if not for the fact her remaining cheerios had managed to soil their uniforms with their own innards.

Sue really would have went off about this not being what she meant by 'blood, sweat and tears,' if not for the matter of keeping them from, assumedly, eating her brains.

_This megaphone makes a surprisingly good blunt trauma weapon_, Sue mused as she bludgeoned in yet another cheerio zombie's head. They had corralled her in, several zombies between her and the bus door.

"I find myself highly disappointed that you idiots are smarter zombies then you were cheerios, you disgust me," She declared imperiously to her mindless audience caving in yet another head while forcing her way to the door.

"Die Jenkins, you were only on the team because your parents paid for it anyway! Hard to believe you're as useless as a brain eater, as you were as a zombie," She yelled as she finished off the last in her way.

Once off the bus she secured the door to keep the rest in. Turning she monologued, "Can't eat brains trapped in a bus. You think that's hard? Try loosing your entire team before nationals! That's hard!"

_How am I supposed to win nationals with a team of brain eating cheerios?_ Sue prioritized, now that her life was no longer in danger, obviously nationals was the next important matter. So what if the world had ended, that wouldn't stop Sue Sylvester from winning her trophy.

In a moment of insight she turned and began heading back to McKinnely, she had three wayward cheerleaders to reacquire. She would have her team ad her championship, even if she won by default of being the only living team in the world!

**Quinn POV**

_Shocking_, it was way Quinn Fabray could express it. One moment they were about to finish their halftime show. The next to their and the audience's initial amusement a dozen or so zombie stylized individuals entered the stands. Maybe if Karofsky had not been amongst the group entering the stands, then the Glee Club would have called foul or feared some kind of prank.

Even then, that would have failed to prepare them for what followed. The first bite was like the proverbial moment before a train wreck. The stands just became a withering mass of the eating and the being eaten. The audience defenseless before the assault of gnashing teeth and clawing hands.

Numbly she registered Mr. Schuester enter the fray attempting to reason with the blood thirsty zombies.

_Classic Mr. Schue_, useless when you really need him," Quinn intoned to herself angrily. _Oh and look there goes Finn, following like an idiot._ The surrealism of their actions, how normal but insane in that moment, and her reaction was all it took to bring Quinn back to reality.

_This isn't happening, this is not happening! _She thought. Despite her internal mantra, Quinn started to move.

Instinctively heading for Rachel, she managed to rouse Santana and Britney along the way. When Rachel didn't respond to Quinn's attempts to wordlessly wake her. Failing that she began to try and pull the smaller girl along. To speak felt like it would make this all real, but at this point Quinn was desperate to get Rachel out of there.

"Berry, we got to get out of here," She tried continuing to attempt to drag Rachel away.

"But, zombies, the audience, what about Mr. Schuester and Finn. Kurt. Kurt and Blaine are up there. We have to do something, what are we going to do. This can't be happening," Rachel let out finally coming to herself a little.

_Tell me about it, but at least she's back to rambling, silent Rachel was so wrong_, Quinn snarked to herself but couldn't help a small smile.

"We have to go Rachel, call Kurt and tell him to meet up with us at the cars," Quinn, ordered in hopes of pushing things along.

"Finn!" They heard Mr. Schue scream. Turning they saw one of the zombies tear out his throat. A moment to late Mr. Schue pulled the zombie off Finn, only to get attacked himself.

Quinn turns their bodies away to spare Rachel and her own memories the images of their, though often incompetent, well meaning mentor's death. That was enough for Quinn; no more thinking it through, it was time to go. "Rachel, were going now, I am not letting us end up like them just because we couldn't think of a way to help and stood here waiting to die!" This time the diva provided no resistance.

"Santana send a test to Kurt to get to the parking lot, and I mean now!" Quinn yelled getting her latina friend/frienemy's attention. The entire group looked to the blond.

"Are you nuts Fabray! That's right by the fricken mob of them," Azimio disagreed not unreasonably under the circumstances. That was a little surprising, Quinn half suspected the football team to feed them to the lions…. or in this case zombies.

"I really don't want to die right now Quinn, are you sure about this?" Tina asked unsurely.

"Yes, I am sure, now lets go," She sneered the situation long past the point of just trying her patience.

"No way, were not going with you pansies," Another football player, Quinn didn't care enough to catch which responded heading off the field away from the apparent danger zone.

_There it is, watch them go, cowards. _The blond raged, before noticing someone was missing. _Sam, where'd Sam go?_

"Anyone see where Sam went?" Mercedes asked almost at the exact moment Quinn noticed his absence.

"He went off towards the stands a little after Mr. Schue and Finn, I think his family was up there," Mike answered dejectedly. Sam's fate was probably the same as the other two mentioned.

"Then he's as good as gone basically, we can hope for the best later," Quinn interrupted. To her thinking the horde in the stands would only be occupied by their feast for so long.

"Were talking about your boyfriend Quinn, don't you care at all?" Mercedes shouted at her. Obviously Mercedes was more upset then the blond former cheer captain.

Quinn had liked Sam well enough, but in reality they were together more for their image then anything else. They had tried to make it more, but it just wasn't. It hurt Quinn to loose another friend at a time like this, but that hurt could wait for later, if it meant not loosing all her friends, and Rachel. Somehow Rachel was Quinn's top priority; if anyone had to survive it would be Rachel, herself, then Santana and Britney. The rest, though friends and important had dropped to the expendable if necessary list the moment the world began to end.

"I know Mercedes, but we just can't afford to worry about it right now! Now either we get to the parking lot and the protection of our cars, or go on foot away from here, with God knows how many of them running around out there?" Quinn paused for effect. It ironically made her feel a bit like Rachel about to stage a storm out somehow.

"Make your choice," She finished turning to query about the text, "Santana?"

"Yep, it's done, lets go Q," The latina answered falling into step with her, bringing Britney along with them. They were followed quietly by Lauren, Puck, Mike, Tina and lastly a reluctant Mercedes.

As they were passing the bleachers Quinn could see Kurt, Blaine, Miss Pillsbury and oddly a girl from her birthing classes back when she was having Beth. _Beth…. _Quinn froze, she knew she had to brush the thought aside for now, but even doing so she couldn't help feeling terror over the fact she didn't know where Beth was or if she was even alive in all this madness.

Changing topics she tried to focus on the girl. _What was her name, May, Madison, no nothing like that….Mackenzie, that's it_, her recollection was a bit slow as she had tried so hard to burry that time. She couldn't shake the feeling if the situation was less dangerous she would have been surprised to run into her at McKinnely.

This brought her back to their current problem. That problem of course was that they were, Mackenzie and Blaine that is, fighting off a small group of zombies, with only a crowbar between them.

"Weapons, we need something to use to help fight them off," She declared to group, frantically looking for something nearby. Despite this she did wonder, _Why haven't they noticed us yet, there are more of us over here even! _

It was Santana who noticed that some of them still had their football helmets with them. Grabbing one from Mike, she hefts it, swinging it to feel the weight.

"Ya this should do the trick," Santana noted to herself absently. Seeing the confusion on Tina, Mercedes and Puck's faces, she looked to Quinn and Rachel as if to say, 'do I really have to explain it? Really?' Quinn shrugged though her own incredulity was obvious.

"Swing hard, helmet meet zombie head, zombie head goes splat," Santana droned through her gritted teeth. Really she wasn't entirely sure keeping people that stupid alive was worth the effort.

"Nice work, San," Quinn praised not sure if it was for managing to find them weapons or making the explanation so near idiot proof. She continued, "Mike and Puck, you two go help Blaine."

Taking Quinn's tone to mean it was an order, the two boys surged forward. Following orders, playing their part; it was familiar to all of them, each in their own way. Already normality was becoming something to cling to. _Cling to, hold dearly and never ever let go, is more like it_. She mused satirically.

The closer hey got to the group and their cars, it became apparent that Mackenzie had gained the crowbar at some point, and Blaine had taken to boxing the zombies _or should it be zombie boxing, I've so totally lost it_, Quinn groused.

A few broke off to intercept the Mike and Puck. Yet for the most part they focused on the previous combatants. Slowly Quinn was beginning to see the pattern, it just escaped her how to explain it.

She still wasn't sure why, but just as she was working out her predictions, the zombies matched them. The boys got more attention as they began to fight, and the non-combatant group was still totally ignored.

"They focus on those who fight back. Quinn, we can use this, how can we use this?" Rachel asked also catching on to the phenomena.

"San, Britt, get to your car, Tina and Mercedes get to Kurt's and tell him to get ready. Rachel, your coming with me," The former cheerio captain channeled her H.I.B.C., as much as possible to broke no opposition. She had a plan forming and couldn't afford anything going wrong, even if it was rather simple.

They sprinted into and slammed the car doors closed as fast as they could. Once, relatively, safely inside Quinn turned to the diva, instructing her to message Kurt. "Tell him to tell Blaine and the others to watch out for traffic." It was short and she hoped it got the point across quick enough.

She gunned the engine as soon as he replied. Quinn honked twice to make one last effort to warn their friends, to bail out of the way. The she drove straight through the group of zombies they had been engaged with. It was a ugly site, zombies bouncing off the windshield and bits and pieces splattered one her front end. Her stunt divided the fighters, the girl being closer to their car. She yelled at her, "Get in!"

Mackenzie barely took a moment to begin moving towards the car. As soon as the brunette had dived into the backseat, Quinn took off, hoping the other would have the common sense to follow her.

Realizing at least for the moment they were safe the blond let a long suffering sigh. Turning her head slightly, "Well that's my plan done." Rachel gave her as much of an encouraging smile as she could manage seeing the circumstances. In the back Mackenzie seemed to deflate clutching the crowbar to her body like a life preserver in the middle of ocean. They could only hope she snapped out of it soon. For now they would drive, at least till something came up. _Maybe something would come up, something has to happen_, Quinn thought desperately, clutching the wheel tighter.

**Sue POV**

Sue Sylvester was a killing machine, the pinnacle of what natural selection and training could accomplish. No whiny baby zombies would stop her, nothing could stop her; or so her present inner monologue canted on.

Only the proverbial gods could tell if it was fate or madness that had arranged for a crashed police cruiser to be in her path. Yes zombies and questionable zombie like mouth breathers beware. At the end of Sue's finger tips was the power and reach of gunpowder and lead. The world shook before her; in her own mind.

Her delusions of grandeur only lessoned by the fact she was still a couple hours from Lima and her remaining cheerios, or so they soon again would be. For Sue there was no doubt they had survived. She and her team, her Unholy Trinity would strike fear into the hearts of the zombie world. Well realistically in a moment of lucidity, she doubted it. Not their survival that was assured in her mind. They had to have survived. Q would not let her down like that. Instead she doubted there was anything to do next, let alone a point to doing anything next.

Then again, lucidity was a fleeting affair at best for Sue Sylvester. She still was undefeated. Her team would forever be champions by process of elimination. Once she found them, they would go to nationals, retrieve her trophy. They would see reason, she cocked the gun, and oh they would see reason indeed. After all there was nothing more important then her trophy, right? Right!

**A/N: I have the basic outline of the next chapter already mostly worked out, and the handwritten copy begun, which I then transfer to my computer and edit as I go, followed by another read through…. If you have any ideas, or comments, I'll definitely take them on board for consideration. **

**I'll be intending to update as regularly as possible.**

**Reviews and critiques are always welcome, criticism and flames shall be used to feed my furnace. hehe **


	2. On The Road To Where

**Disclaimer: Glee is owned by RIB and Fox as far as I can tell. But in short I own nothing that follows. I just borrow the characters and concepts, to assuage my own personal little realm of insanity. *nods, nods***

**Summary:**

** See Chapter 1. **

** Additionally, thank you goes out to Errant Reality, for not only taking the time to talk over who The Mack is with me. But, also being gracious enough to allow me to borrow her OC, Damian from her fic _We Dance Alone Tonight_. (Which I utterly love btw!) The only fic under Quinn/Mack pairing option I might add coincidentally. Also on top of that Errant Reality, was kind enough to take the time to look over my work here to help me iron out the grammatical kinks. That said, any faults that remain are entirely mine, as well I human and I still error. **

** To the readers, thank you for sticking with the story so far! Hopefully I live up to the interest that's been shown so far.**

**Quinn POV (Quinn's Car)**

Lima was only so big, there was only so far one could drive without leaving. Once it would have seemed like a fantasy to just leave, to be gone from Lima. To Quinn, the outside world seemed just so different now. In only the time since they left the field the world had reversed. It became the horrible unknown versus the at least negotiable familiar. Safety was in the familiar. She wondered how long it had been, _four, five hours, maybe? Since…. Since the halftime show that ended the world._

Shaking her head, Quinn attempted to shake off the morbid thoughts. The chaos had not been limited to the school grounds. Since their escape the aimless caravan had traveled the length of urban Lima twice. No where seemed to be untouched.

As much as she felt that driving aimlessly seemed like it could go on forever, roads going in circle ever onward. In motion there was a sense of security. Despite this, she knew it really couldn't go on.

"Rachel," Quinn tried leaning over a little to nudge the short brunette awake. To her surprise, Rachel was rather hard to rouse.

"No still sleepy," The girl nearly screamed in response to the blonds' further efforts. Mackenzie jolted in surprise, unceremoniously awakened by the diva's volume. Catching her eye in the mirror, Quinn gives the rougher girl a nod.

"Can't wake sleeping beauty?" Mack asked watching Rachel dozily smack aside the blonds' hand.

"For a girl who wakes up at 6 AM every school day to jog an hour on her elliptical, she's sure as hell slow to wake up," Quinn responded frustrated; the situation had her patience at its ends.

"Maybe you should kiss her, that's usually how you wake sleeping beauty right?" The taller brunette joked offhandedly. She had been trying to relieve the blonds' tension a bit.

"Wha-What!" Quinn shrieked in shock, taking the insinuation to seriously. _Calm down, it's not like that would ever happen… right…. Right? _ She attempted trying to make sense of her frazzled nerves.

Somehow Rachel managed to sleep through the commotion. Seeing Quinn's discomfort, Mackenzie attempted to placate her, "It was just a joke Quinn, relax okay?" While gesturing as to give in, she dropped the crowbar from the fight. Clanging to the ground it brought them back to the situation at large.

"Mackenzie, right?" The blond clarified accepting the change in topic without debate, focus shifting back to driving.

"You can call me Mack, everyone does now, turn left here by the way," She requested seeming slightly off. Even if Quinn barely knew her, she could tell something was wrong.

"Where are we going?" Quinn replied with her own question, making the turn all the same.

"I need to pick up Damian," Mack answered stiffly. Quinn was confused how the girl could sound so resolute in course, yet worried in tone. _She probably thinks we won't want anymore stragglers._

"Damian?" The blond decided to at least find out little bit more about who they were going to pick up.

"It's my son, Quinn," Mack's worry finally clicked for the driving girl.

_Beth, what about Beth, is she alive, Shelby! How could I have thought she would have a better life with that woman! Dead, dead is what I got my baby, all because I didn't think I was ready for her!_ Quinn nonsensically berated herself falling into a deep panic.

"You still in there blonde?" Mack leaned forward to grab the panicking girl's shoulder, hoping to give her some kind of comfort with whatever she was going through.

"I gave up my baby, Beth, for adoption," The girl answered trying to clear her head and breathing proper. Mack just squeezed a little tighter, her mind jumping to what it would be like to be in Quinn's situation. Having her child out of reach, and possibly gone forever.

"She is probably fine Quinn," The brunette felt like a liar. "This could just be local," She continued not entirely sure which of them she was trying to convince more. It surely didn't feel local, or look it for that matter. Even if it were, how long would it last before it got out?

"Let's just focus on getting your son, okay?" To Quinn, it was like she was losing Beth all over again. She would not sit back and watch Mack go through the same agonizing loss.

"Right, it's the apartment complex off the road behind Breadstix," Mack listed off directions, deciding she would be there for Quinn. Till either the blond could hope again, or Beth could somehow be properly put to rest for her.

Mack figured, _it's what I'd need in her place. It's like the right thing to do_. She attempted to forget how little she usually cared for what was right. _The end of the world, and now I grow a conscience?_

**Mercedes POV (Kurt's SUV)**

"Does anyone else notice we been driving in circles for hours now?" Mercedes had been cranky since their escape.

"Looks like were heading somewhere now, Mercedes," Tina snapped a little, having had enough.

Oh come on, we all know Quinn just making it up as she goes!" The black girl began before Tina had a chance to finish. The rest of the occupants were finding her no less annoying.

"So who was it who got you off the field?" Kurt queried having gotten tired of his best friends tirade.

"That was just insane!" Mercedes complained losing none of her vibrancy. She refused to admit it, but she knew she was being unreasonable. The world was coming apart at the seams, her world was coming apart. _Why should I have to be fair, why should I have to be reasonable? That's just asking too much!_ She groused to herself shaking her head finishing with, _That would be just unfair to ask!_

"Alright, who was it who thought to send us the plan?" Blaine tried, he was fairly sure his boyfriend was going to blow up on the dark diva if he didn't manage to diffuse the situation somehow.

"I would of thought texting you…. eventually," She responded getting a huff from Kurt and causing Mike to just shake his head.

"Eventually! You didn't think of your best friend's safety at all, and why?" Kurt cattily jumped back in.

Mercedes remained silent feeling slightly guilty. Blaine decided to give up on damage control; he turned his focus back to following the lead car.

"Oh that's easy," Tina answered, using the silence to but her way back into the conversation. "It was because she was to busy questioning the plan." And pretending it was an after thought she continued accusingly, "Oh, and ragging on Quinn about Sam being missing!"

"What!" That was all the livid fashionista could manage, utterly flabbergasted at his friend's lack of prioritization.

"Apparently Quinn not being heart broken over Sam's probably dying, was more important then our survival," Tina continued to spill, her eyes conveying her distaste.

It was at this point that Mercedes finally noticed she pushed to far. _Oh now I see! It's pick on Mercedes day. This is such bull. Why is everyone acting so insane? They've all lost it. Oh God, I am the only sane one left! _Despite her inner monologue she had enough sense to stop speaking her mind.

Beside her Puck just shifted uncomfortably. _Can't trust Puck, he'll just side with his so called 'baby mama' on everything. It'll be even worse if Rachel sides with her! _Mercedes considered her options a moment.

Pausing her thoughts a moment she smiled at Puck, her aim to be disarming. Judging from Puck's response and forced smile it was rather manic. Mercedes just ignored this attempting to converse instead. "Where do you think were going?"

"Don't know," The mohawked boy responded unhappily. The last thing he wanted right now was being drawn into the girl's drama.

Kurt's phone went off, filling the car with a ring tone momentarily. Checking it the concern was plain on his face. "It's Quinn, were going to be stopping soon. When we do she wants Puck and Mike to come with her and Mack, apparently, into some building," He relayed trying to play off his earlier excitement. It was not like he figured any of them hadn't realized he had thought it might have been Burt.

"Sure," Mike responded breaking his seemingly introspective silence. All Puck did was nod.

**Quinn POV (Mack's Apartment)**

By the time they reached Mack's apartment, the diva had still failed to waken. Quinn assumed it was some kind of emotional exhaustion or something. The images of Finn and Mr. Schue dying breaking through her thoughts momentarily, before she could hold them off.

"Puck, you're going to stay her and watch over Rachel for me, she's been out since we left McKinnely," Quinn instructed. The concern in the boy's posture as he got in her car made her smile a little.

She could never really stand the little diva being vulnerable, _Well, not outside our confrontations anyway, it's normal to want your rival all to yourself! About to walk into a zombie filled apartment to try and save a baby, and I am thinking about Berry. So not the time for this!_

"Mike, were going to the third floor apartment, 307. Were rescuing Mack's kid. A friend was watching her, so…. "Quinn explained, taking Mack's shoulder like she had for her earlier in the car.

"Sure thing, I am sure it's fine," Mike said patting the brunette's other shoulder a moment in support as well.

Seeing the silence and how hard the two girls were taking the matter. He decided he would try and get them moving. "Let's do this," He declared quietly channeling the stereotypical action hero moment as best he could under the circumstances.

The girls chucked despite it all as he began entering the building. They were slightly better armed this time. Quinn had found she had another crowbar in her trunk; her father had forced her to pack for repairs back in the day. She wondered if she would have to thank her father for that, if he was even still alive. Quinn decided, _Nah, after throwing me out, I don't own him anything._

They stuck to the stairwell as they ascended. It wasn't till they were entering the third floor that they encountered a zombie.

Mack froze only managing to voice her former friend's name, "Ronnie." The other two couldn't help but morbidly wonder if it was her friend's death or the probable fate of her child that had caused her to freeze up.

The zombie girl stumbled forward towards them. Stepping in front of Mack, they readied themselves.

Something clicked for the zombie and it burst into motion knocking Quinn down and turning on Mike. He was quick to react managing to use his helmet to shield himself from its thrashing teeth.

Mack breaking out of her surprised state slammed her crowbar into the zombies back. The dead girl's heavier frame absorbing the blow unflinching. Before she could strike again, still off balanced. Mack found herself being thrown down the hall.

Mike was past terrified, he couldn't understand why but this zombie was trying so much harder then the ones before. If he let up for a moment he would be done for. He couldn't make a mistake. Not with his life on the line, not with the girls depending on him.

A loud crack encompassed the hallway. As the zombie slumped to the ground, Quinn was revealed holding her crowbar over where the zombie's skull had previous been moments ago. Eyes meeting they silently took a moment to recover.

Taking a moment to breathe a sigh of relief allowed them a moment to focus themselves, each having their own reason in mind. Mack was building herself up to check her apartment. Mike silently thanking Quinn's quick thinking for saving him, hoping they wouldn't run into another zombie like that anytime soon. For Quinn it was absorbing the feelings of her first zombie kill. It felt so much like she imagined killing an actual person might.

Not wanting to further contemplate that thought, and to spare Mack having to check for her now probably dead child she tried the door.

_It's locked, _she realized. Without pausing to explain she kicked down the shabby apartment door. To her surprise and joy, she heard the most glorious sound. If you asked Quinn it was the most glorious sound she had ever heard as far as she was concerned in that moment, crying. Following it she found the boy in his crib.

_He's crying, he's alive, that girl must have got bit and locked herself out or something… _If she was honest at that moment it didn't matter how. The boy was alive; Mack wouldn't face what Quinn was. Her promise had been kept, even if only to herself.

_No, this time it worked out; tomorrow, the next day, this isn't over little one. _Quinn resolved hugging the child lightly.

"Hi there Damian, I am Quinn, calm down," She tried to get him to stop crying.

When he wouldn't relent, she had to wonder how long the child had been crying. It was probably amazing he hadn't cried himself before they got there. Her exhilaration at finding Damian alive passing she realized his mother needed to see him. "Let's take you to your mommy." She cooed to the child.

As soon as Mack saw them, she practically ripped Damian from Quinn's arms. She had been so desperate for him to be okay. Now that he was, Mack had to have him close; in a sense almost more then needed it.

Quinn sympathized half dragging, half side hugging the girl back to the stairs. Mike following them watching their backs just incase.

Coming out of the building, Quinn noticed that Rachel was now awake and seemed to be grilling Puck. The interrogation was abandoned once they were noticed. Mike wisely chose to break off from the group, excusing himself to check on Tina, as the little diva stormed towards them.

_Coward! _Quinn yelled internally at the boy as he made his escape.

"Quinn! How could you? Dangerous! Insane! You've lost it! Why? Ugh," Rachel let out all at once. Quinn felt kind of bad that she was so out of sorts over there little rescue, but couldn't help being surprised the diva was being so incoherent.

"Relax Rachel, were okay," Quinn got out triggering the small brunette to catapult onto her, leaving her to wonder when Rachel had picked up Brittney's death grip hugs. She was absolutely unprepared for the girl to start sobbing into her chest. Confused she exchanged looks with Mack, who just shrugged in response.

"What's wrong Rachel?" The blond asked once the girl's shakes subsided a bit.

"Mr. Schue died, Finn died and I woke up and you were gone. Puck said you went into the apartment building, and that it was probably crawling with zombies. I thought you were gone. Gone for good, I'd be alone, Quinn I don't have anyone else who's willing to put up with me here. Why are you taking care of me, Quinn?" Rachel rapid fired going from response to questioning the former head cheerleader.

"I am still figuring it out, Rachel, but I am not going to abandon you, I promise, okay?" Quinn felt honesty was really here only option at this point. All the same, she just couldn't stand the worried look the girl had since they came out of the building, she had to reassure as best she could.

Rachel and Quinn's staring contest was broken by the bundle in Mack's arms deciding to add his own waterworks. Rachel attention was automatically drawn to the baby boy.

"Who is this?" The diva asked the taller brunette.

"This is my son Damian, and I am Mack by the way," Mack replied lifting Damian a little bringing him face level with Rachel. She wasn't sure what was going on, but it was obvious to her that Rachel was important to Quinn, so she'd play nice.

"Mack? As in Mackenzie?" Rachel questioned half paying attention playing with the boy.

"Yep, but everyone calls me Mack now, it's kind of a double meaning an all that," The taller girl answered smirking. Quinn choked a little at the girl's admission, mind racing to the earlier sleeping beauty incident.

Rachel just inclined her head in a response finding the comment a bit lewd to be made in front of a small impressionable mind. She decided to hold her tongue on the matter, fairly sure a joke on her stature would follow.

"Mackenzie it is then. I am Rachel Berry, I was going to be a future Broadway star, but I guess none of that really matters anymore, now does it?" The diva's shoulders slumped at her realization. Both the other girls feared she might start crying again.

Before it could progress any farther, Damian reached out grabbing the diva's nose, causing the girl to blink a couple times. Breaking into a smile she let the child crawl over from Mack's arms.

"Your such a little gentleman aren't you, such a cutey!" Rachel declared playfully pretending to take his nose in response, heading towards the car.

As she went Mack turned to Quinn giving her a 'did she really just do that' look. Quinn just rolled her eyes, giving a shrug as if to say 'that's just Rachel'. The two kept their serious façade for a few more seconds before they broke into laughter. Walking back to the car, the world as they knew it may have ended. Yet, as they drove off again, at least they found despite how harsh this new one was, they could at least still laugh,

**Sue POV (Wilderness)**

Sue Sylvester never said die! No situation was dicey enough for her Sue, she could power through anything. That is if you believed her inner-outer monologue at least.

That said, the situation was, well, rather dicey, even for Sue. Two bullets left, and 'several times, several times that many' zombies chasing her. Well more like ambling along than chasing really.

In a stroke of misfortune equal to if not greater then finding her gun, had befallen her. Three bus loads of seniors on their way to some convention or another, had been zombified. The rotting mob crawled all around the road and surrounding woods in the area. The situation most definitely did not meet her, Sue Sylvester Seal of Approval!

For the last two hours, it had been a constant game of hide and seek with monstrous seniors. While Sue was faster, the zombified seniors never seemed to tire. As hard as the event had been for 'The' Sue Sylvester's pride. A horrible, terrifying and simply unacceptable thought dogged her. Throughout the ordeal Sue could not shake the feeling that somewhere her mother was out there zombified and hunting her down!

The Nazi hunter had been unnervingly capable as a living person. To call her just human would not do to Sue's thinking. But, her mother as a zombie? The thought was just beyond terrifying. She, Sue Sylvester's knees quaked in fear at the very thought.

Oh, and her playmates were here again. Too tired to rant out loud, she chose to just growl. Reaching out she began to beat the nearest zombie with a log she had picked up while running earlier.

No, this was not a good day in the life of Sue Sylvester. But, she would survive! Outnumbered, running low on ammo and stamina. Like any of that mattered. She told herself.

She was Sue Sylvester, the world's greatest 'remaining' cheerleading coach!

A/N: I've done a fair bit of re-evaluating the story, and flushing out a fair bit of where I think it will go.

As before reviews and critiques are always welcome, criticism and flames shall be used to feed my furnace.


	3. Landing But Lost

**Disclaimer: Glee is owned by RIB and Fox as far as I can tell. But in short I own nothing that follows. I just borrow the characters and concepts, to assuage my own personal little realm of insanity. *nods, nods***

**Summary:**

**See Chapter 1. (Addendum, main pairing is now Mack/Quinn/Rachel, or Macquinchel)**

**Thank you goes out yet again to Errant Reality for trying to help me make the mess I sent for proof reading. Well readable really. As with before all errors are mine. Also Errant Reality came up with the term Macquinchel so props there too.**

**To the readers, if your still with me. I am first off terribly sorry for how long this took. I did try uploading this before, but apparently there was some issue with the manager at the time. I pretty much smashed my way through horrible writer's block to get this out. I nearly gave up about a month ago, but here we are. All going well the next chapter won't take three months. Feel free to 'politely' harass me if it does take to long again. POV is pretty much, third person, except for Mack's and Sue's inner monologue. **

**Quinn's Car **

As they were leaving Rachel somehow managed to bundle herself in the back with Mack, forcing Puck into the front passenger seat. Quinn's phone went off as they drove away. She just dug it out of her gown and passed it back to Rachel. With everything that had gone on and all the risks taken so far, she would not press her luck with using a cell phone while driving. After all who knew what would happen it might cause zombie cops to come after them, she mused.

"Hello, Rachel Berry speaking," She announced once she picked up the call.

"It's the end of life as we know it, and still the hobbit has to announce herself," Santana's voice practically emoted her eye roll. "Why are you answering Q's phone anyway? I was calling to start a cheerio confab, and I get stuck with freaking Streisand!"

"I am here Santana, I handed Rachel the phone as I am driving," Quinn broke in yelling back in what she assumed was the vague direction of the phone. The last thing she needed right now was Santana taking a go at Berry.

"So driving here too, and no need for dwarf assistance here," The latina doggedly pushed the matter. It was rather obvious to Quinn that her frienemy was trying to provoke the oh so familiar Rachel Berry rant off, to try and grab at some sense of normality.

"Leave off her bitch, you can go back to being an ass after you're dead all you want," Mack interjected into the conversation. She may not know Rachel all that well, and she was obviously a little strange. _Oh and pushy, definitely pushy, but she's so little. Kind of like a cute little yappy puppy. It's just not right to kick puppies after all! That and Damian seems to just adore her, so this Satana? Sannata? Whatever it is can just take a hike! _Mack thought grinning as the hilarious image of the smaller girl dressed up like a cartoon puppy popped into her head.

"Who the hell is that? You just wait till we stop, gonna go all Lima Heights Adjacent on your ass!" Santana threatened, getting eye rolls from everyone on the other side of the phone.

"Mack's right, so not the time Santana, and we got a baby on board remember?" Quinn declared causing the girl to sputter out.

"Baby, what baby?"

"Damian, Mack's son, the one we just rescued," The blond intoned drolly in response.

"At the apartment building?" Santana clarified.

"Yep, that'd be the one, you didn't miss much, just going to head to head with my zombified best friend," Mack confirmed as cheekily as possible.

"One zombie so what? Why didn't you call me in Q?" The tension in Santana's voice was literally palpable. She hated being left behind. The idea that her frienemy… friend? Whatever, Quinn really was going into danger without her to watch her back was unnerving. Them and Brittany were the Unholy Trinity after all.

Ignoring Santana a moment, Quinn latched onto a question that had been bouncing around in her head since the encounter.

"Mack, you've fought the group back at the school lot, were they like the one in the apartment?" She asked doubtfully, finding it impossible that Blaine and Mack could have survived dozens like that so easily before in comparison.

"No, nothing like that, the group in the parking lot were no where near that strong, wouldn't have taken that first hit either, even with all Ronnie's padding if you know what I mean?" The taller brunette in the car analyzed uncomfortably. Quinn flinched slightly at the mention of padding, residual insecurity from her childhood and time as 'Lucy Caboosy' having never been entirely settled.

_Zombies, killing, we nearly die and what does the Blonde flinch at? A weight joke? Why are the really gorgeous girls always so_ _insecure? _Mack pondered catching the timing of Quinn's subtle little movement.

Beside Mack, Rachel also stiffened noticing it as well. She caught Mack's eye and inclined her head towards Quinn, as if to say 'keep an eye on that'. Mack nodded to herself solemnly while mouth back 'on it'. Getting the message, Rachel sighed to herself before clueing back into the conversation at large.

"So you're saying some kind of flipping super zombies? Come on like this thing wasn't messed up enough?" Santana groaned came through the speakers distorted, most of the car passengers suspecting that the latina's girlfriend was trying to comfort her.

"We don't know that Santana. All we know is that the last one was pretty strong," Quinn replied trying to cut off any panic. Even if she suspected something equally bad was probably at play as well.

"But really bitch, going off without me, … without us!" Santana verbally slipped up, her real problem slipping out.

"San, I wasn't going to risk everyone, and someone had to be there to protect Brittany. That said, these things are really not making sense." Quinn yelled getting tired of going over it.

"Sanny, just let it go," Brittney finally interrupted bringing the argument to an impasse.

"Alright, alright, so my house should be empty, so no zombies should there waiting and we're pretty well stocked," The latina informed, giving in. As the other members of the Unholy Trinity well knew, Santana's parents were rather absentee, but at least they arranged for a fairly large supply of goods to be on hand for their longer absences.

"Sure, it's as good a place as any," Quinn agreed, it was barely out before the line went dead, the other side having hung up.

"What a bitch," Mack vented.

"Santana's house can put us all up?" Rachel queried confused, Lima Heights was the slums, so Lima Heights Adjacent would be pretty bad too, she assumed.

"Yeah, comfortably," Puck answered reminding them of his presence causing a slight fright.

"Don't do that Puck," the blond chastised the laughing boy.

"Sorry Baby Mama, not my fault you don't pay attention to who's around you," Puck replied sarcastically, false apologetic look and all.

Mack hesitated, frustrated, before passing Damian to Rachel, "Mommy will be right back my big man, she just needs to brain the McKinnly manwhore." Damian gurgled excitedly at the attention and new playmate, Rachel taking to tickling the young child playfully in response.

"Quinn your not gonna let her right?" Puck whined ducking Mack's intentionally telegraphed and badly aimed crowbar. "Come on Quinn, you'd let her kill me, even after Beth?" As the words left his mouth he knew he had taken the gag to far.

Seeing Quinn seize up, Mack dropped the crowbar and began to lightly beat down on the boy's shielding arms. She really wanted to give Puck a real beat down for reminding Quinn of Beth.

"Poor, poor Quinn, getting knocked up by the villainous manwhore," Mack over exaggerated, surprising the girl by hugging her around the neck from behind the driver's seat, intentionally jarring her from her thoughts.

"Hey I wasn't that bad," Puck tried to defend himself.

"Actually Puck, it was pretty awful," Quinn acknowledged playfully.

"Come on this is like two on one, fight fair already!" He quipped.

"Actually Noah, despite my personal distaste for violence, against the living at least, I must say I am with Quinn and Mackenzie on this matter, as such it's more like four on one," Rachel cut in, bouncing the highly entertained child in her lap a bit.

"Four?" Puck asked confused.

"Yes indeed, Damian here seems to be quite enjoying the festivities, although it is rather violent, even if contrived, for such a young child. And it is normal for a child to side with their mother after all," The little diva explained. While she began nuzzling Damian's left cheek cooing, "Isn't that right little one?" Drawing a giggle from him as he made a grab for her nose, it seemed to Rachel's bemusement that he was getting fixated on her nose.

"Even the baby is against me, great," Puck groaned dejectedly, getting a halfhearted slap from the taller brunette and blond.

"Quinn, is it just me or does Rachel not breath when talking?" Mack questioned the driver in a conspiratorial tone, purposely loud enough to tease the diva.

Catching on Quinn faked a surprised look, "I know right, and I thought it was just me."

Turning her head to continue the teasing, she accidentally placed herself face to face with Mack. Noticing the intimacy of the position she squeaked, blushing at how close their lips were.

'Well hello there, is someone a little bit repressed?" Mack thought, blowing the blond an air kiss, causing her to let out another small squeak. Having some mercy on the flustered girl she drew back smirking, unlatching her arms from around her from the previous hug. Turning back so she could further playfully prod at the diva.

Rachel began to mumble ranting about 'vocal control' and 'breathing exercises'. Puck wisely declined entering the diva windup, something about it seemed too private, like just watching the interaction could become dangerous to his health.

Despite the two girls teasing her till they arrived at Santana's, Rachel couldn't help but find it more pleasant, maybe even friendly prior interaction pre-zombies with Quinn. Nothing like Santana's earlier attempts at verbal assault.

**McKinley Football Field**

Finally Sue had made it to McKinley, now her true quest could begin, her mission, the admittedly momentary yet still end all, be all. Now to she just had to find her team!

Turning to the field the most sight met her eyes. It could not be allowed to go on. Something had to be done about such a visual travesty. This was a task only Sue Sylvester could achieve. Cheerio glory would have to be put on hold.

"I am sorry Wi….., no, no I am really not," Sue pondered out loud stalking off to gather supplies. It was time for secondary mission, time to kill the zombified curly headed monster!

**Santana's House's Driveway**

"This is Santana's house, it's like a small mansion, this cannot be Lima Heights Adjacent that Santana's goes on and on about. This so…. So posh," Rachel expressed, looking on in wonder at the 'home' in question and its grounds. The small caravan of vehicles pulled into the house's driveway, passengers happy to finally get out. Most of them started congregating towards the house.

"Well that is kinda of the point, it's like right next to Lima Heights, so makes it seem badass," Puck explained smirking, getting out beside her.

"Sounds like just another rich bitch, trying to act hardcore," Mack added loudly seeing the girl coming over with a tall blond, Brittney she assumed.

"Oh I did not just hear you say that bitch," Santana screamed lunging forward only to get held up by Quinn standing between the two of three girls.

"S, seriously not now!" Quinn ordered drawing on her full H.I.B.C. persona. Turning to the taller brunette, "and Mack that's enough, I need you to stop baiting her."

_She can't be honestly saying this is my fault. I mean come on, this all started with Princess Bitch over there taking her frustrations out on Rachel! _Mack reasoned to herself, giving Quinn her best 'you're kidding me right?' look.

"Mack," Quinn tried again face hard trying to express her seriousness.

Heaving a sigh, she looked at the others present. It seemed everyone was concerned over the little conflict. Even Puck looked disgruntled.

_Probably can't decide if he should be turned on or not,_ Mack figured.

Other than Quinn's pressing the matter, only one other person present concerned her enough for more then a moment's consideration. The little diva who had yet again spirited away her Damian. To Mack, Rachel looked like a scared bunny rabbit, ready to flee with the child at first sign of danger. The image making Mack think through what she had been about to do. _Shit what am I doing? Here I am stubbornly picking a fight. I can't afford to lose my cool like this. I need to protect Damian and stick close to Quinn and Rachel. Avoid trouble with the rest. Doing such a bang up job, every time I turn around since things went nuts, Rachel's watching out for Damian._

"Sure Quinn, as long as she backs off of Rachel," She relented, surprising the diva, who hadn't expected that the tension was over her, much less that someone would be willing to get in a fight over Santana picking on her.

"We're in this together or we're all on our own, that's all there is to it. If Santana over there can't handle it, she's out as far as I am concerned and I'd gladly convince her to shove off," Mack continued to answer, cracking her knuckles menacingly.

"Come on, it's not like the hobbit doesn't bring it on herself," Santana shouted, outraged at the idea of someone taking away her sense of social equilibrium more than anything else.

"She's right S, we've been picking on Rachel forever, and never had a good reason for it, no more, we do better from now on," Quinn decided, disappointed she hadn't been the one to stand up for Rachel in the first place.

Off to the side, said diva was practically in shock at Quinn standing up for her. It seemed foolish that it was so surprising to her, seeing how Quinn had risked her life practically for her on the field. But, this was Santana Lopez she was disagreeing with here!

"You've lost it, she just a loser, cheerios first, Unholy Trinity," The latina was grasping at straws, trying to keep things the same. If she had to change, then it was real, this was happening and she did not know who she would be anymore.

"None of that stuff matters anymore San, there right Rachel needs to be respected, the only losers now are the dead, Sanny," Brittney told her best friend and lover, trying to get it through to her.

"Lets just head inside, and get some sleep, I feel dirty and rumpled," Kurt who had come over during the argument, sequestered with a yawn, breaking the tension. Reaching a silent agreement they headed into the house to lock up and bed down.

**Sue's POV McKinley Roof**

It had taken an hour to plan and hours to prepare. It was all in the culling of the herd. Dividing such a large mob was no easy feat after all. The zombies' natural inclination to group together was just frustrating.

If it were any other mere mortal, it would seem impossible, but she was Sue Sylvester, there was no word for 'what cannot be done' in her dictionary, or so she felt. Now she had picked them off bit by bit.

Whether it was random coincidence or some kind of residual emotional attachment a select group had stayed together despite her efforts. From Sue's perspective it was just _plain creepy, it just so shiver inducingly creepy, _she thought looking down from the school's roof upon the former Spanish teacher and a zombified contingent of his precious glee club.

They refused to be shaken off, despite all Sue's devious tricks, meticulous planning and creative use of glue and various flammable substances. After all Sue didn't see how it really mattered if half the school might have been a bit scorched now. Personally, she felt drawing them into the auditorium and burning it down was rather witty. Especially seeing that it ended Figgins last assembly, permanently no less. She felt she had done McKinnly and the world a service.

This part of the plan was simple really. Even the curly haired monster down below would have been able to pull it off, when he had been among the living, at least.

Despite this Sue was in a deep personal moral dilemma. The dilemma had to be well considered. _Two stones, five choices, who to kill and who not to. The unfairness of this situation cannot be borne. Ogre, Trouty Mouth, that annoyingly overly large Wrestling Freak or Elma the ginger. _

She had already decided that the final end of Will Schuester would be face to monster decaying face. She felt she owed her to often verbal sparring partner that much. She almost kind of missed his noxious hair fumes, or she would have, if Sue Sylvester got emotional after all.

Deciding to take them out in priority of potential danger, Sue hefted one of her concrete blocks and chucked it down, causing Trouty Mouth's head to splatter before his body had a chance to collapse from the pressure. The other zombies halted looking around bewilderedly.

Taking advantage of their stationary status, she decided to offload her second slab on the Wrestling Freak. Then took off making her way to her next ambush point, face alight with glee, Sue called over her shoulder, "catch you later for some face time Buddy!"

**Santana's House Upstairs**

Waking groggily, Mack didn't have long to wait to find out what had awoken her: Damian was crying. As she lovingly picked up her child, the smell coming off him gave away what the problem was.

"Looks like you need a change little man," She cooed, smirking a little.

Hoping to let the other girls in the room sleep, she quietly made her way out of the guestroom. It had been mostly a haphazard mess when they settled in. Santana and Brittney had taken Santana's room, the black diva and two gay guys took the next room. Mike, Mike's girl and Puck had ended up in another. Mack had taken the third guestroom. Quinn and Rachel soon followed, wordlessly falling into the bed beside her and drifting off.

Looking outside, she saw that it was dark again. _Let's hope it's again anyway, most of us could probably use a few days sleep to recover, _she mused looking for something to change Damian with.

"Kid needs changed?" a voice behind her asked tentatively, causing her to bolt slightly, turning towards it grabbing at Damian protectively. Seeing the latina, she calmed a little, nodding in response not yet trusting her voice.

"I think we may have some stuff left from when my cousin visited. Meet me in the kitchen," Santana explained, motioning down the stairs before slipping away.

Mack looked on confused for a moment at the other girl's total change of attitude. _What happened to the nasty bitch routine?_ Not seeing how it could hurt, she went down to the kitchen, trying to calm her fussing baby.

It was a few more minutes till the other girl emerged with two large baby bags.

"Something in here should work," Santana declared, lifting them onto the counter table top.

"Not exactly the most cleanly place to change a dirty diaper," Mack commented, trying not to be confrontational about it.

"Yeah true, only place I could think of that would be far enough to let him cry a bit, and not wake everyone else," The latina winced as she thought about dirty diapers being handled where her food was prepared.

Looking through the bag, Mack's eyes widened. "How many children did your cousins have?"

"One," Santana deadpanned smirking lightly, "they kind of go a bit loco over the whole baby thing." She rolled her eyes.

"Well looks like we at least don't have to worry about supplies for changes too soon," Mack mumbled in response while changing the boy.

"So it's Mack right?" The shorter brunette asked while the girl finished up.

"Yes, and I hear you're Satan," Mack commented, making eye contact to take the sting out of her words. At Santana's questioning look she noted, "Heard Kurt grumbling it last night as everyone settled down."

"Porcelain gonna get it for that," Santana chuckled. "And it's Santana by the way."

"Sure, so yeah, can we be….. civil," Mack asked, playing it like she was really just pondering it out loud.

Silently agreeing to keep the mood light and down play the confrontation, Santana, smirking, added, "I think we can, we'll just let Quinn moderate any serious crap."

"Just remember to lay off Rachel as well," The taller girl commented seriously, picking up Damian.

"Berry's gotten pretty popular all of a sudden, even Quinn…." Santana got out trying to sort her thoughts.

Chuckling, Mack felt she had to enlighten the girl, "Judging by the whole protectiveness, and all the body language she's been giving off, I'd say our little Rachel's been pretty popular in our fearless leader's books for sometime."

"Fabray is Fabgay for the midget?" Santana gasped out.

"Do you even have a gaydar?" Mack asked incredulously wondering, _How could someone's supposed friends be this clueless about what's going on with them?_

"Things been distant with Quinn since she had Beth, Q never been the type to open up much, even before that," The shorter girl shrugged noncommittally, "it's always an up hill battle with her."

Mack just nodded, _Doesn't seem that hard so far, tell me tell me Quinn at least had someone else, _she thought, being sure not to voice it.

"So Quinn has the hots for the midget," At Mack's pointed look Santana corrected herself, "Berry." When Mack didn't let up, she sighed out, "Fine then Rachel, so why are you on the Berrytrain?"

"Quinn, Damian and I really don't know?" Mack replied tensely, her arms itching to wave around or something to try and get some relief.

"That supposed to make sense?" Santana questioned deciding to let a bit more of her sarcasm drip into it, while still keeping it her mood fairly pleasant.

"First it was cause Quinn seems to care so much, then Damian latched on to her, now its seems just complicated," The mother huffed out decided to let Damian down to crawl around a bit, it seemed safe enough for now after all and she didn't want to bother him with how tense she was getting.

"You're gay too," The latina stated in surprise, the facts finally clicking. She was beginning to see the bigger picture here. The question was did Mack see it yet?

"More bi then gay, though a definite preference of the prettier sex," Mack said winking playfully.

"So Rachel and Quinn, what's your plan?" Santana queried, fishing to see if the taller girl had caught on to how deep her own affections were.

"Keep them safe, take care of Quinn, so she can lead us, and getting them together seems like the best plan," The taller girl explained succinctly, totally missing the real question.

"Yeah right." Santana managed, forcing back a smile. The way she saw it, change takes time. But this was the end of the world. She didn't like it but what had Brittney, Quinn and Mack said before they all had slept had a lot of truth to it.

In the past she would have used this information against the girls somehow. It would have been useful to get ahead before. Hell even three days ago she would. Life changed, her old fears were dead, there was no one left that she feared would judge her. Now she had only this group.

"I best be getting back to Britt-Britt," She excused herself.

"Sure, laters," Mack nodded, sitting down to watch her son enjoy himself, hoping the moment would help her calm down.

**Santana's House Upstairs (Again)**

As Santana came up the stairs, Rachel practically ran into her. "Santana have you seen Mackenzie?" Rachel asked, slightly panicking.

"She's downstairs in the kitchen still I think," Santana answered avoiding identifying Rachel by name, still unsure what she felt comfortable calling her to her face now. 'Rachel' seemed too seemed to different, 'Berry' to distancing and normative for them. She'd just have to think of something new.

"Damian is with her too, yes?" Rachel continued with the questioning.

"Yep, little man just needed a change," The latina explained, chuckling a little thinking about the prior conversation.

Rachel felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders. Waking up with the two gone had been terrifying. Logic might have suggested all was possibly fine, but until she saw for herself, the horrendous scenarios in her mind would not entirely shut off. Things like the memory of watching the stands and the audience get eaten after the halftime show. Things she felt she would never forget no matter how much she wished she could.

Santana's words on her location did much to calm her at least. Really she knew she should say something else to Santana, such as thanking her for letting her know. Deciding not to press her luck, she nodded to the girl and went down the stairs at a brisk pace; she half suspected she was going to trip and fall face first due to her lack of caution.

"Did I just get blown off by Rachel Berry?" Santana wondered to herself, not even noticing that she voiced her thoughts.

"The world really has ended," Quinn quipped from behind the latina. Coming around to make eye contact, she took a moment to examine her feisty 'friend' before questioning her.

"Why were you down there with Mack?" Quinn asked, leaning against the wall, blocking the girl's path.

"Helping her with Damian, and talking about stuff," Santana answered curtly, trying to push past the blond.

"So when I go down there, nothing will be wrong?" Quinn questioned, not relenting from her position.

"Chill, I left your Baby Mama safe and sound Q-tip," Santana whisper yelled, losing her patience and aiming to get under the blond's skin a bit with that comment.

"Alright, I get it, no need to be a bitch," Quinn stated, taking a similar tone.

"Oh did I hit a nerve," The latina teased. It felt like she finally had the girl's attention. It had been to long since she last felt like she actually had her friend paying attention to her.

"It's not like that San," The taller girl let out defensively.

"Oh right that's cause you already got Rachel to pine after," Santana continued holding onto the moment.

"Really, S, that's the best you can come up with?" Quinn sounding every bit her H.I.B.C. self, her eyes on the other hand gave away exactly how disconcerted the conversation was making her.

"So that's not the reason your first thought back on the field was to drag her to safety, then proceeded to keep her as close as Blaine and I have been keeping our nearest and dearest?" Santana continued to build her argument.

Quinn flinched; she wasn't ready to face this. So she latched onto the only neutral comeback she could think of, "Since when did you switch to calling Rachel by her first name."

"Since the Sack accord," Santana answered smartly with as much ceremony as she could muster for effect.

"Sack?" Quinn questioned unable to place the reference.

"The Santana and Mack accord, mash up of our names being Sack," The shorter girl explained as if to a small child. Quinn looked on horrified, wondering how literally Santana might have taken the use of the sack in making of 'Sack'. It wouldn't really surprise her if Santana would require sex to make any form of compromising agreement. Quinn could tell she was being jealous and it so wasn't helping not dealing with the whole issue right now.

"Oh come on Quinn, that's so wrong. One, I wouldn't cheat on Britts. Two, she pisses me off nearly as bad as Rachel. And lastly, I don't poach my friend's girls, well, unless my friend screws with me maybe," The girl finished with a malicious smile, before breaking out in muffled laughter. It had actually taken her a moment to realize why Quinn looked like she might try and kill her, or really wanted to anyway.

"She's not my girl Santana!" Quinn raised her voice forgetting where she was.

Santana was quick to make a shushing motion before smirking out, "'Girls'. It's plural Q-tip."

"Come on San, things are hard enough, I need you to have my back, not putting more daggers in it," Quinn responded, trying to redirect the conversation to more important matters.

"Q, I have your back, I hate to say it, and I really do, but Mack and even Rachel are behind you," Santana replied annoyed, "It's whether me and Britts are even on your list of priorities that's the question."

"Of course you are, its just….." Quinn trailed off, waving her right hand as if it could encompass their situation somehow.

"I get it Quinn," Santana sighs, "We're all trying to get with the world after the end too."

"We're used to not being your top priority, we really get it," She shrugged, "We just need to know we're still friends, that you still care and we won't be left fending for ourselves here."

"Truth time S," The blond started, just to be interrupted humorously by the latina, "What are we seven now?"

"Truth is I don't know what to do about Rachel and Mack, I can't deny something is happening, but I really feel totally unready for it," Quinn admitted reluctantly, feeling her best friend/frienemy deserved to know where things stood.

"Despite feeling lost and totally unprepared as things go, Rachel, Mack and Damian are my top priorities. After that it's you and Brittany, Puck, then Mike and Tina, and then the rest I guess," She continued before letting her fellow ex-head cheerleader comment.

"Mike and Tina?" Santana's curiosity coming out far thicker in the question then she wanted. She'd kill to get her emotions back under control, but with how things had gone lately she didn't see it happening anytime soon.

"We made a good team, Mike, Mack and I that is," Quinn shrugged, getting a nod in response from the other girl.

"Q, never ever, ever tell anyone what I am about to say," Santana ordered, her expression baring all the mock seriousness she could manage, causing the blond to giggle despite everything so far.

"Life sucks, we're never ready for the important things, now life sucks worse. If what's going on with Rachel and Mack can make you happy, just let it happen, and deal with it as you can," Santana argued, her faux seriousness gone and replaced by her even more rarely shown conviction.

"That sounds so simple, but it's really not, there's three people and a baby involved here. Not a couple but three!" Quinn got out, starting to hyperventilate.

"Calm down Q, it's only as complicated as you let it be. If you can't deal with it right now, you don't have to," Santana said, trying to calm the girl's panic attack. It had been a long time since she had seen the girl this worked up. Not since coach had found out Quinn was pregnant last year.

"What am I going to do San, this all too much," The blond cried into her friend's shoulder.

"You do your best; we survive, one day at a time right?" The latina answered, patting Quinn's shoulder comfortingly.

"Again it sounds so simple, but it can't really be," Quinn let out after a few minutes finally calming down a bit.

Once sure Quinn had got her bearings, Santana felt it was safe to tease her a bit more. "In the meantime you'll just have to be content to work on your little harem."

"Santana," The now blushing blond whispered warningly.

"Really Q," Santana just laughed.

"It wouldn't be like that," Quinn grumbled at a loss how to properly respond.

"No you're right, it'd probably be more like that polyamarous crap," seeing the blond's confusion, "as in multiple people all in a relationship together Q." She paused, "I can just see Rachel getting all up on Mack too." Santana was pretty sure that image hurt her more then it teased Quinn.

"Will you just cut it out," Quinn demanded walking back towards her room, clearly frustrated.

"Oh gosh, ewwww," Santana pulled out her best disgusted act, not entirely to hard for her at this point, catching Quinn's interest a moment. The blond waited a moment her curiosity getting the best of her.

"It was horrible, I imagined both them getting it on, with you in the middle of it," The brunette let out with a wicked grin.

Quinn just could not even begin to figure out what to respond to first. The insult on her attractiveness, that her presence would make it so much more un-sexy. The fact that again this was so out of her depths that she was so totally drowning, etc… Instead, she just blushed deeply when she realized the fact that the idea had aroused her. While she was lost in her thoughts and defenseless, her friend continued.

"And of course cause you're such a princess, it's obvious most of their time would be spent focused on taking care of your repressed ass," She finished, grinning like an idiot at her friend's total lack of composure.

"Shut up Santana!" Quinn growled out at wit's end.

"Oh is little Quinnie just a bit frustrated?" Santana taunted, enjoying the moment way too much in her own opinion.

"You bitch, away with you Satan!" The blond screamed, slamming the door hard in the other girl's face. Sliding down it, Quinn sat and tried to get herself back under control.

"Glad I could help, Q," Santana spoke through the door, before heading back towards her own room.

While Quinn was now frustrated and stuck sleeping in the same rooms that her 'crushes' would. Which Santana personally did find hilarious, more importantly she had managed to refocus her friend on the now, instead of the monsters of tomorrow, both literally and metaphorical. Now all she needed to do was wait for Quinn to get her own back. Then as far as Santana was concerned their friendship would finally back on track.

**Santana's House Living Room**

Mack was fairly sure Rachel wasn't at least mostly crazy. So when Rachel came pretty much running into the room, looking like the world was, well, ending, again…. She was unsurprisingly more then a little amused.

"Where's the fire Rach?" Mack chuckled, watching the little diva's panic turn to bashfulness.

"I…. I don't know, you and Damian were gone. I thought you had left, or died or something, I just panicked," Rachel rambled on; she would have continued had the taller brunette not interjected.

"Breath Rachel, it's okay Tiny, we're here, Damian's okay. Here hold him for me so I can get you something," Mack cut in, passing her son to the girl, knowing his presence would help calm her down.

"A glass of water please," Rachel put forward. Noticing Mackenzie's hesitance she explained, "My fathers bring me a glass of water when I am upset to calm me down."

"Sure thing," Mack replied, thinking better of asking about Rachel's 'fathers' or where they might have been when this all started. She figured, unlike herself, most of the group survivors probably had parents that could be worth missing.

_Not like they were rich pricks without a caring bone in their bodies, like mommy and daddy dearest, _Mack groused internally.

"Where were you just now?" Rachel questioned as Mack passed her the glass of water.

"The kitchen, where did you think you'd get a glass of water?" Mack tried to play it off; she actually entertained the idea that Rachel might let it drop for nearly half a minute.

_Yeah right, for such a supposed self obsessed child people seem to think she is, Rachel is surprisingly insightful reading people wise, _she smirked to herself, _Then again she's kinda oblivious as Quinn's interest in her goes. Guess everyone has their blind spots, _Mack chuckled as Rachel worked up the nerves to press the issue.

"I know, I meant in your head, you appeared very focused on whatever it was," Rachel said rewording the question to be more to the point she wanted.

Mack sighed, giving her a 'do I really have to' look. _Really she can't make me, I mean sure Damian likes her, she's kind of cute like a wittle rabbit, but really she's so Quinn's territory. Why the hell am I so whipped about this? _She tried to reaffirm her resistance.

In response to Mack's look Rachel started to employ her cutest 'get what I want' pout that always seemed to work on her daddies. _Wait hold it a sec, stop that pout Rachel! Damn it! _Despite her mental protests, she figured it was useless to try and vocally protest. Instead she just sighed knowing she was going to give in anyways. Rachel's pout morphed into what Mack interpreted as her 'victory' smile when Mack gave in. _So evil! _She pondered with a small internal giggle, Mack would never admit to giggling to anyone, even in her mind, or so she hoped.

"I was just thinking about how everyone else is probably missing their parents," She explained to the shorter girl, closing to play with her son's hands to avoid having to focus on the discussion fully.

"Mackenzie," Rachel pressed sternly, sensing that the other girl needed to vent a bit.

"It's Mack, Rachel," She responded just as sternly.

"Yes it is, _Mackenzie_," Rachel put extra emphasis on the girl's proper name.

Letting out yet another sigh, "Tell you what Rachel, agree to call me Mack and I'll talk."

"Of course Mack," Rachel responded graciously. She knew she was probably treading a bit far on the other girl's good will. Then again, she did try and pick a fight with Santana Lopez over her welfare. Anyone other then Quinn Fabray taking on Santana, was very impressive as far as the diva was concerned.

"My parents weren't great. You know that I knew Quinn a little from the Unwed Mother's Connections group. That was around the time I had Damian. When I had told my parents they threw me out and gave me some money to go away, for propriety's sake of course. To be honest, money is the closest they could ever manage to love, so it wasn't really much of a surprise," Mack explained, desperately trying to fight off the stress she attached to family memories.

Rachel just waited to let Mack continue if she felt the need. So she did go on a bit more, "I guess even though I accept it, it still disappointed me."

"I am going to hug you now," Rachel warned, lifting Damian in her left arm, so she could give Mack a cautious one armed hug with the other, which the girl accepted happily.

"Damian, don't grow up to be timid about hugging people like Rach here, if you feel you need to hug or be hugged, just go for it. If they don't want you too they'll let you know," Mack monologued towards her son, but meeting the diva's eyes to make sure she got the message, she was encouraged get or give a hug if she felt like it.

**McKinley High School Secluded Classroom**

"Finally all alone Curly," Sue greeted the zombie that had been, in life, her personally appointed nemesis.

"Your oaf of a giant and ginger headed monster, were harder to shake, but at last here we are, and even as a zombie your hair gel fumes are still intolerable," Sue monologued at the zombie, who just grunted and let out a gurgled moan, advancing upon Sue.

Finally facing Will down, Sue found the experience already trying. To try and ease the atmosphere for herself, she pretended to be busy wafting the zombie's stench away. Her recently acquired fire axe in hand and ready.

"Nothing to say old Buddy?" She taunted the monster, backing out of its reach.

Sue felt that even though it was foolish, this was a moment that deserved dramatics and showing off. _This is it the final showdown, Glee versus Cheerios, Sue Sylvester vs. Vests McGee, _Sue told herself while hacking at the zombie's left arm.

Zombie Schuester didn't even show a sign of noticing the blow. "So looks like we do this the fun way," Sue chuckled humorlessly, falling into a hack and run routine.

After a few more rounds she was getting annoyed. "Of course you would have to be one of the stereotypical monsters who just won't die," She yelled angrily as she finally took off the zombie's right leg.

Just as Sue let her guard down to gloat some more over the fallen zombie, it threw itself on top of her. Caught under the zombie, she desperately used the fire axe to gag the monster's mouth and hold it down as it tried to crawl further up her body. Gnashing away at the axe, zombie Schuester seemed to Sue like a demonic curly haired energizer bunny. She always knew those things were evil!

"Now you finally develop some resolve; you had to die first. Come Curly that's just sad," She quipped, continuing to try and push it away.

Sue continued trying to force back the monster. _Sue Sylvester going out like this? How could I bear the shame of it? How will I win my last championship dead? _Sue bemoaned internally at her predicament. This was not how the legendary cheerio Coach Sue Sylvester was meant to go out. For a moment she indulged the idea of becoming a zombie, then a zombie cheerleading coach and then world domination! _No, no not going out like that!_

While Sue was distracted by her rampant imagination and its vibrant sagas, her prey turned assailant had changed tactics. Having reared away from the axe, the zombie was coming down quickly on Sue from the side. Moments from taking the prey in its jaws.

All Sue registered was a sound. _Splat_ was all that echoed through her mind for a moment. Finally she looked up beyond the guts and remains of where the zombie's head had been. _This is the worst moment in the history of Sue Sylvester, at least if I died I'd have still had my pride! But no I had to be saved by her!_ Sue groaned to herself.

**Mysterious Stranger POV**

_Of all the people to find still alive, of course I would find the craziest of the crazies, _The figure over Sue just shrugged trying not to disrupt her precious cargo.

Helping the coach up, she informed, "We better get out of here."

"Couldn't you have just knocked him over?" Sue put out there grimly, clearly upset.

"You would have rather died?" The woman asked the seemingly delirious coach. _Not that, that's any different then normal, _She whined to herself.

"It was our final epic showdown, Schue vs. Sylvester, Glee vs. Cheerios, important matters!" Sue complained to the woman.

"Dying would have been fine as long as I got to beat Curly!" The coach continued to grumble as the woman began to just walk away, fed up. So Sue just followed with one last kick to the zombie corpse to make herself feel better.

**A/N: As before reviews and critiques are always welcome, criticism and flames shall be used to feed my furnace.**


End file.
